Amaranthine
by Faux Promises
Summary: Her beauty was as eternal as the moon, always on his mind even when time and distance stood in between them. He would never let her fade. Love was just too precious to let slip through his fingers. Sheelos, oneshot.


**A/N**: Mercy me, I finally have something finished! Writer's block was all over my ass for like, ever. And being in pre-calculus has a way of making you want to die, especially when math is your least favorite subject. But I finally managed to give you guys a little something. It's pregame, and probably the last one of it I will write for a little while. My next few ideas are rather in-or-post game.

And yes, I am now FP rather than FD. I get bored with names easily. But I keep my Faux so you all remember me! Haha. Well I hope you enjoy this, it's also my last extremely fluffy one for a while. I wanna be a little dark after this.

Disclaimer: I bought the rights from Namco. Wait, no. Damn. (I am not in the owning-ness of ToS!)

x x x x x

"Shee-naa…" An annoyed groan accompanied the redhead's whine of protest, ineffective though he knew it was by now. "Come on, now, can't you be done yet? You're so impossible to make happy!"

From her reflection in the mirror just to the right of him, the Chosen could clearly tell that his Mizuhoan friend was no longer paying attention to him or his complaints. Her face only held sheer concentration, perhaps a little bit of amusement. The latter would likely have been misconstrued by any other, considering the irritated frown that was barely detectable on her lips. Anyone would think she thought the hair-washing process they were involved in to be a chore, surely, and that the male with which she kept company must certainly be insufferable to her.

But of course, he himself was much too learned in her ways to make such a rapid presumption on her feelings. It was true, more often than not, that the young woman's thoughts completely contradicted her outward appearance. Few people would attempt to speak to her for just that very reason: she did not exactly invite conversation with the defensive barrier she always seemed to have up.

Fortunately, Zelos was neither dull-witted nor without a keen sense of perception. This wasn't her true nature, as he had suspected upon first meeting her. She was, like him, rather shy at heart. Apprehensive. She had been always alone, privately afraid of the rest of the world and their cutting judgments. They were mirror images. Different, but part of the same person. It was the truth, despite the ineloquent wording, and how else did one explain such a phenomena anyway?

And, though it did remain even now that he could not exactly predict her actions, he could pick up her sentiments toward him and even others simply by her body language, tone of voice, and all manner of subtleties well masked by her ninja etiquette. These little hints saved their friendship from the strain of misunderstandings, not to mention it revealed to him the very elusive thing about Sheena Fujibayashi: that she did, in fact, like him.

Well…not that feigned polite kind of 'like', such as what was typically called for when someone went fishing for compliments on their not-so-awesome hors d'oeuvres. The kind that made him rethink whether or not he was quite as worthless as he always seemed to feel.

As it was this evening, the Chosen was pretty sure that he was dealing with the 'nice' Sheena judging by the given signs. For example, her fingers working their way through his bright locks were gentle in nature, even motherly. On the contrary, the tendency of the ninja when upset was usually to speak crossly to him, often getting a little bit physical if the situation called for such. That happened a lot less, though, now that he had made careful note of how to win affection from her, as opposed to calling forth a very angry female with an impressive strength contained inside her stunning (voluptuous, should he call it?) body.

Just above his line of vision, she nudged him under the running water to finally rinse the accursed foamy substance out of his drenched hair. He complied as best he could, though not without another sigh of boredom. If it wasn't for the physical contact he earned through this task, he never would have agreed to such a deliberately girlish activity.

"No, I'm not," she replied to his earlier accusation, maintaining a calmness that came with experience in the matter. "My point is, if you can't keep your hair from getting all ratty, then I _will_. You're the Chosen, for Martel's sake. And it's embarrassing to be seen with you when birds are raising families in that mess of yours."

"It doesn't get that bad," he retorted in a rather half-believing tone, one which he knew right away would lose him the battle. He didn't have much to complain about, truly, but sometimes it was almost as fun to mess with her as it was to be treated to her enchanting company. "You _know_ you just wanna make me your poodle to fuss over. Why can't you do this to Corrine instead? He looks more like one than I do…well, _for now_ at least…"

Sheena simply continued to ignore his rough whines, grabbing for a towel that lay near their crouched position beside the bathtub. Nothing was ever straightforward with him, she was painfully aware. Like with a child, she could explain her logic up and down and that would still not be enough to quell his complaining. "Zelos…I assure you, there are plenty of things I would rather be doing than keeping you appropriate for human eyes. And unless you want me to cut it all off…"

His shadowed aqua eyes shined in abhorrence from under the cloth as she padded the wet tangle of red dry, and by natural reflex he reached for a clump of hair defensively. "Hell no! This stuff is like…an extension of _me_! You can't take that away from a man."

Mentally, he winced. That was an even more emasculating argument than he could have foreseen. He chose a different route, this time taking a more winsome attitude with her. If she was going to try and subdue him like this, then he would just have to gain the upper hand again.

"Annnd…you know you like it," he whispered, stealing a look over her exquisite form. Bullseye. "Am I right?"

Blushing profusely, Sheena managed to roll her eyes. How she answered didn't quite matter in this situation. Both responses secured him with victory as long as her eyes betrayed the truth. "Maybe…maybe not."

"Oh, I think that's a yes," the Chosen shot back rather playfully. This was yet another one of the tactics he'd picked up through his careful notation of her behavior. When all else failed, he could always call her out on the soft spot she had for him. She never could directly deny it, either! "You wouldn't be here right now if you didn't care about me…and my hair."

An endearing smile accompanied this statement, so much so that the young ninja had to avert her eyes lest she end up completely succumbing to his attempts of distraction. As it was he'd already gotten an arm tight around her, making it just as clear as ever that he had no interest in being primped. Eyes wandered over her figure once more in an appreciative way, if a little devious, and it was quite fortunate for him that she was too focused on her task to make note of it.

"That's beside the point, and you know it!" She reached up in aggravation, finishing off her towel-assault on his dripping locks only to end up getting both of their clothes soaked. "All of your whining only makes this take longer, anyway! And I can't imagine you'd want _that_."

The redhead mocked an innocent pout at this, the intended charm of it lost as his touch wandered curiously down her back and beyond. More so then either of them would have expected, her body held an intense fascination for him that was altogether indescribable. This endeavor of exploration seemed to only confirm his certainty that her wit was very well matched with her radiant physical beauty.

But such a bold move was a grave miscalculation on his part. A short gasp escaped her at once, her eyes shooting up to meet his more in surprise than anger. The embarrassed Chosen came back to his senses immediately, having been lost in a brief moment of reckless intent. He turned bright red in the face of her obvious confusion, wondering himself how indeed he'd found the nerve to take his teasing words to her and actually act on them.

"W-what're you doing?" she asked timidly, almost unnecessarily judging by the already-condemned expression Zelos had thus taken on.

"I…" he paused, hesitantly taking his hands off of her in the guilty way of a shoplifter caught in his crime. The word 'stupid' seemed to resonate through his mind. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"That's…alright." She let her eyes leave his as she mumbled these two words, already having realized that he understood. For a short moment, she couldn't help but wonder if he had just been acting as quirky as he always did, or if something much more complicated was going on. Sure, he would flirt with her when the opportunity arose, but…nothing had ever really happened. Nothing with such a clear meaning. They were just 'friends.' However improbable such a thing was.

His head was still bowed in a sign of dejected unhappiness, feeling her discomforted aura courtesy of his own rashness. It hadn't been his wish at all to hurt her, definitely not to make her look so mortified. But these kinds of impulses kept hitting him every time they were together nowadays. That was just a fact that he couldn't ignore.

And more often than not, it was she herself that would unintentionally tempt him with those subtle little actions that drove him into a lustful lack of words. The smallest of things like a farewell embrace or just a cryptic glance in his direction…it was a real temptation.

A beautiful, _terrible_ temptation.

There were no more words in his mouth after that. Very little could be said now that would make any reasonable sense, and no one was to blame for that but himself. Blame seemed to make itself present in his life quite frequently, the Chosen acknowledged to himself in a rather wry tone. Whether or not he agreed to it anymore was of little consequence.

The deafening silence overtook their presence as Sheena once again immersed herself in the trying task she had previously been at, now wielding a brush. It came as a relief to her that some of the unease she had acquired was gradually replaced with a deep sense of relaxation as she finished stroke after stroke, having just enough bravery to run slender fingers through her handiwork now and again. She knew she would pay a lot more than a mere penny for his thoughts at that moment as he melted beneath her hands, quietly longing to get inside the mind of someone who was such a mystery to her. And who just so happened to compromise everything she had ever known of herself simply from the way his gentle words could make her heart skip a beat.

Without a prefacing word Zelos turned sidelong to glance at her fondly, though with some urgency. He'd had his fill of this, probably for the next several months. Gingerly, almost teasingly, he laid his head upon her shoulder in content. She waited expectantly for a purr to accompany, but he only toyed with a dark lock of her hair with a deep air of intrigue. Despite the seeming emptiness of such a small distraction, it was more than apparent to Sheena that he was looking into her eyes. Gazing with some wistful daydream she couldn't quite name, though she'd seen it swimming in his expression before.

"C'mon," he whispered shortly into her cheek, pushing carefully away from her to scramble to a crouch. The fledgling summoner did not follow, simply glaring up at him with some confusion.

"Huh? Why? Where're we going?" She touched her hair absently, a little put off by his strange behavior tonight, from the previous embarrassing mishap on up.

"Anywhere," he smiled back at her. "Doesn't matter, does it?"

Still she remained motionless. She wasn't prone to go with him wherever, with no explanation, especially when he was acting so unpredictable. Her arms crossed over her chest in creeping irritation.

Zelos returned her skepticism with a slight frown. He wasn't accustomed to her being mistrusting of him, and yet somehow that element was unmistakable in her porcelain face at the moment. "Have I ever made you go somewhere that you didn't like?" he chided her gently, realizing too late that he could not even remember if he had before. The problem being that she definitely _would_.

She appeared to be contemplating this quite seriously before he tugged her up encouragingly, hoping to heaven and hell that nothing would come to her mind. Last thing he wanted was her pissed at him _twice _in one night.

Success was awarded him soon after as she followed him down the stairs, silent compared to his rather audible footsteps and with a hand in his. Contact was, in a strangely humorous way, sometimes the only proof he had that she truly existed. His mind hadn't completely lost anchor in that great sea of turmoil that life liked to be. Well, perhaps that was too audacious a statement for one in his position…

Weaving through an arrangement of unused and for the most part, useless rooms, the Chosen led his friend to the southernmost end of the enormous house where a back exit resided. He had a need for the outside, and a deep need at that. His parents passing had left him with a claustrophobic hatred of closed places, especially the kind riddled with unpleasant reminders of both past and future. The sky held no such imposing threats, and so under it he was most content.

Sheena, looking over at his thoughtful expression, trailed along through the grass with him. She had a faint sense now that his 'anywhere' was no place unfamiliar to her, but rather, she thought, the slight fringe of greenery at the farthest edge of the property. Several times he had taken her there, to this spot which held a few old trees and a blue-grey pond of still water. It had been a favorite place of his through childhood, and maybe even the only place he felt was home to warm thoughts of the past. This was all that he had told her.

They had covered half the distance of their jaunt when she broke into a sudden run, a thrill of energy long suppressed running through her small form. She breezed past him with a smile, hoping he might join her in a moment of childish fun. It was only for an instant that he stared after her blankly, surprised by this joyful mood she'd taken on. But the reaction was soon a normal one, and in an eye blink he found himself tailing her across the expanse of field below and stars above.

She was a quick runner, nimble and naturally light on her feet. If the match had been one of grace and agility, the prize certainly would have gone to the ninja that evening. However, the redhead hot on her trail was made of pure speed, and her quick reflexes served her only so long in avoiding his chase. He was nearly close enough to seize her, and in turn victory, when she was at once stopped short by some large underfoot object.

Gravity was almost successful in bringing her down to earth, had Zelos not been quite so adamant in his pursuit. His own deftness had been gained with a sword in hand, and with such training he was fast enough to catch her fall. He found himself then with a dazed young woman in his arms, still half-prepared for a meeting of her personage with the earth below.

"Regretting that challenge, my dear?" he smiled at her somewhat smugly, though also very aware that this was mayhap the only time he'd hold her like this without some serious repercussions. That had not long ago been established with crystalline clarity.

She narrowed her eyes in an only somewhat serious fashion, wresting herself away from his hold. "You were lucky this time, Wilder," she returned sharply, removing the ribbon from her dark hair to re-tie. "Rocks were on your side."

Shaking his head, he meandered over to lean against the large oak tree that towered over the pond. It was the one formidable living thing that inhabited his oversized backyard, a monster of a tree by the standards of Meltokio. Nonchalant, he picked at the bark idly until she came to join him.

"Mm…but…" For a moment she hesitated. This was the crossroads between pride and humility, and she felt herself leaning into a humble response. "That was a pretty nice save, I'll grant you."

His eyes acknowledged this with a calm demeanor, accustomed to keeping mum when she showed gratitude of him. It was a rare happening that he was not inclined to annoy her out of repeating. He was much too fond of the way her lips curled into a sheepish smile, fingers unconsciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. That flustered expression of hers was one of his personal favorites.

Sheena ran a hand along the rough surface of the tree, glad to be rid of her debt to him. She changed the subject rapidly. "This has been here for how many generations, do you suppose?"

The Chosen shrugged. "I dunno, maybe two or three?" He paused, considering for a moment. "I'm guessing it's at least a hundred, maybe even more. It's been here as long as I can remember, of course."

She nodded in passive understanding, looking up briefly through the boughs to where the moon hung above. "You spent a lot of time in this place, didn't you?"

"I guess you could say that," he agreed, albeit somewhat halfheartedly. "Not so much after…well…"

Her silence implied knowledge, and he let the sentence drop off. It wasn't necessary by any means to put the notion to words. "Ah, but…" She fumbled for a new topic, choosing one that genuinely interested her. "What kinds of things would you do?"

Slightly caught off guard, Zelos looked up at her inquiringly. She didn't often show an interest in his past, be it by virtue of courtesy or because of the rather touchy nature of it. He was almost grateful for something new to tell her.

"Hm, lots of things, really. There used to be ducks in that pond, I remember. Sometimes I would bring them food, if they were here."

She hid a small smile. That was a cute thought, she had to admit.

He continued, searching his memory back through the years. "Fireflies during the summer, those were fun to try and catch. One time I filled a jar up with them, at least thirty or forty. Looked like frantic stars, the way they shook about inside."

The ninja watched his gaze upon the water's surface, chasing the moon's reflection across the perfectly still luster. "Firefly? I don't think I've ever seen one."

"Really? They're a sight to see when they swarm over the tops of the grass. When I was younger, I used to think they were pieces of dreams, broken up into little flying fragments." He stopped before saying another word, quickly glancing over at her. "That probably sounds a lot stupider now though, huh?"

Sheena shook her head as she went to sit down, more exhausted from the day then she had first estimated. He joined her almost habitually, though ever keeping his distance as if by an invisible cord. "I don't think it's stupid," she answered quietly, her hands travelling to pick some small white flowers that were abundant on the ground. "I had all sorts of weird beliefs when I was small. Everyone does I s'pose, when they're still ignorant of the way of the world."

"I see myself being ignorant of that for a long time to come." Stoic as he often was, Zelos found himself laughing softly at the prospect. "Sometimes I wonder if it's more worthwhile to change the way of the world than to simply accept it."

"Won't argue you that one," she conceded, still focused on the flowers in her hands.

"…What is that?" The Chosen peered over into her lap. Whatever she was doing, she was definitely adept at it. He'd never seen her do something in such a professional way.

She held it up before him proudly, always happy to leave him confused. "It's a flower chain…I guess you'd have no reason to know how to make one though. You aren't a girl."

If it meant getting any closer to her, he didn't much care what they were doing. A cheshire grin crossed his features as he scooted next to her, watching closely. "Indulge me, would you?"

The practiced way in which she did it indicated a knowledge of the craft, fluid and unbroken. She linked each one together by a slit made in the bottom of the stem, which then was weaved through with another flower stem. It formed a work of art that was deceivingly nice-looking compared to how quickly it had been made. Sheena wasn't the type to often create things by hand, or even partake in trivial tasks such as this. He wondered how long ago she had learned it, and how much time she had spent doing such a thing.

"Here, you try." She gave him a handful of blossoms to try with, her own work halted to see how well he could perform. "It's not difficult. Just do it like this."

In demonstration, she showed once more how to puncture the stem and poke another flower through. The task truly was simple, and Zelos, repeating the gesture as she had done it, soon had a chain of his own. Far less skilled than hers, but nonetheless its very existence showed a measure of effort on his part. He would unhesitatingly humble himself even to this level, if it would let him in past her guard.

Sheena peered over from her own work to observe what he'd accomplished, a degree of teasing apparent in her visage. "Yeah, that's pretty good," she approved, hiding her amusement. It wouldn't do to ruin this moment. "See, you can make them into things too. Like this."

She extended her arm to show a couple of bracelets she had made, as well as a necklace that lay around her neck. The pale blossoms looked glowing in the moonlight, and against her own fair skin, her entire being seemed aglow. The Chosen stared in helpless amazement, following the glance of light across the soft curve of her cheek and down her neck with intrigue.

Noticing the puzzled expression on her face, he went back to trying at his handiwork. What could he make for her? He looked back at the ninja quickly to consider. After a few quiet moments of observation, Zelos decided that he knew exactly what to make for her. It was perfect.

Of course, she herself showed some surprise when she felt him place the crown of flowers upon her night-blackened hair. He only smiled shyly back at her this time, as opposed to the rather grim shock he had imposed upon her before. But when she returned that smile, he only wished he had the ability to capture how very beautiful she looked.

How anyone could begin to express that single concept, there was no answer he could conceive of. Write a song? A poem? Paint the world's most breathtaking picture, so that the world may always remember her?

No. If he was to be the one to behold something this sacred, then so be it. In his mind, that image could never die.

It was just that simple.

She was of timeless beauty.

* * *

**A/N**: Mhm, I hope you guys like! I'm sorry if it's not that long, I just wanted to get something written and shake the writer's block, which I did. I actually like it more than I thought I would, so woot! Expect more from me in the future, though I will be having rather...difficult classes once again this coming year. -wince-

Love you, and don't forget to **R & R**. It makes me smile and giggle.

-FP


End file.
